North CarolinaNorth Carolina schools must limit certain lessons and staff training
North Carolina public schools must follow limits on certain lessons, staff training, and school programs, and report their compliance each year.
What it does
Public schools may not teach students a list of concepts about race and sex or require students or staff to affirm them. The law allows certain protected speech, research, and impartial history lessons.
Public schools may not provide, arrange, or require staff training that includes the listed concepts or discriminatory practices. They also may not keep a diversity, equity, and inclusion office or assign staff to promote them.
Each public school unit must report its compliance and steps taken to the state education department every year. The department must combine those reports for two legislative committees.
Argument forStudents and employees may be less likely to face unequal treatment tied to race or sex because schools must stop listed discriminatory practices.
Argument againstStudents and educators may lose access to some training or lessons that could help them examine discrimination, although the law allows certain impartial history discussions.
More detail
Public school units shall not teach students the listed concepts or require students or staff to affirm them. These rules apply to public school units and cover instruction delivered to students by employees, contractors, or others engaged by a unit. The limits do not restrict speech protected by the First Amendment, individual research or independent study, or policies and training required by state or federal law. Schools may discuss listed concepts in certain standard-course lessons when they make clear the school does not sponsor or endorse them, including impartial discussions of controversial history and historical oppression. The act took effect when it became law on June 24, 2026.
Public school units shall not arrange or provide certain staff training, keep a diversity, equity, and inclusion office, or assign employees to promote the listed concepts or discriminatory practices. These limits apply to public school units and employees whose duties include promoting discriminatory practices or the listed concepts. The training restriction applies to training that includes or advocates for the listed concepts or discriminatory practices. The law exempts policies and training required by state or federal law. The act took effect when it became law on June 24, 2026.
Each public school unit shall certify its compliance to the Department of Public Instruction each year, and the Department shall send a combined report to two legislative committees. Every public school unit reports to the Department of Public Instruction; the Department reports to the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations and the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee. The certification must include actions taken to comply. The certification due September 1, 2025, also covered initial implementation, including workforce and spending reductions, job-title and position-description changes, and how savings were directed. Units must certify by September 1 each year, and the Department must report by January 15. The September 1, 2025 certification also covered initial implementation.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jun 24Veto OverriddenLatest
- Vote recorded Veto Override. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Veto Override M4 Previous Question. Result: pass.Lower
- Jun 24Ch. SL 2026-20Major
- Apr 6Withdrawn From Cal
- Apr 6Placed On Cal For 04/21/2026
- Mar 9Withdrawn From Cal
- Mar 9Placed On Cal For 04/06/2026
- Feb 9Withdrawn From Cal
- Feb 9Placed On Cal For 03/09/2026
- Jan 12Withdrawn From Cal
- Jan 12Placed On Cal For 02/09/2026
- Jun 24Veto OverriddenLatest
- 2025
- Dec 15Withdrawn From Cal
- Dec 15Placed On Cal For 01/12/2026
- Nov 17Withdrawn From Cal
- Nov 17Placed On Cal For 12/15/2025
- Oct 22Withdrawn From Cal
- Oct 22Placed On Cal For 11/17/2025
- Oct 20Withdrawn From Cal
- Oct 20Placed On Cal For 10/21/2025
- Sep 25Withdrawn From Com
- Sep 25Placed On Cal For 10/20/2025
- Sep 22Withdrawn From Cal
- Sep 22Re-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the HouseMinor
- Aug 26Withdrawn From Cal
- Aug 26Placed On Cal For 09/22/2025
- Jul 30Withdrawn From Cal
- Jul 30Placed On Cal For 08/26/2025
- Jul 29Veto OverriddenMajor
- Jul 29Veto Received from Senate
- Jul 29Placed On Cal For 07/30/2025
- Jul 28Withdrawn From Com
- Jul 28Placed On Cal For 07/29/2025
- Jul 7Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the SenateMinor
- Jul 3Vetoed 07/03/2025Major
- Jun 27Pres. To Gov. 6/27/2025To Governor
- Jun 26Ratified
- Jun 25Passed 2nd ReadingMinor
- Jun 25Passed 3rd ReadingPassed House
- Jun 25Ordered Enrolled
- Jun 24Reptd FavMinor
- Jun 24Re-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the HouseMinor
- Jun 24Reptd FavMinor
- Jun 24Cal Pursuant Rule 36(b)
- Jun 24Placed On Cal For 06/25/2025
- Jun 17Withdrawn From Com
- Jun 17Re-ref to the Com on Judiciary 1, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the HouseMinor
- Mar 13Passed 1st ReadingMinor
- Mar 13Ref To Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the HouseMinor
- Mar 12Regular Message Sent To House
- Mar 12Regular Message Received From Senate
- Mar 11Amend Adopted A2Major
- Mar 11Amend Failed A1Minor
- Mar 11Amend Adopted A3Major
- Mar 11Passed 2nd ReadingMinor
- Mar 11Passed 3rd ReadingPassed Senate
- Mar 11Engrossed
- Mar 10Reptd FavMinor
- Mar 5Reptd FavMinor
- Mar 5Re-ref Com On Rules and Operations of the SenateMinor
- Mar 4Passed 1st ReadingMinor
- Mar 4Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the SenateMinor
- Mar 4Withdrawn From Com
- Mar 4Re-ref to Education/Higher Education. If fav, re-ref to Rules and Operations of the SenateMinor
- Mar 3FiledIntroduced
EducationCivil Rights & Voting